Variable variables in Flash actionscript

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Variable variables in Flash actionscript

NEW Flash Tutorials in Video Format - Powered by LearnFlash.com: 45 minutes of flash tutorials now available in streaming format or download. Topics Include flash for beginners, text effects, actionscripting, audio/video, flash 8 and more.

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by Mirza Hatipovic

I often make use of variable variables, because I generally use interpreted languages like PHP. Variable variables are not supported in compiled languages like C++ etc. The same applies for Actionscript. Because I make extensive use of variable variables in PHP, I had some difficulties solving specific problems in Actionscript. Fortunately I found a trick to solve my problem. But before I show you the sample script I will give a short introduction to variable variables in PHP.

Sample PHP script:

//my_var has a string value of “mirza”
$my_var = “mirza”;
//allocate a variable variable of the variable $my_var
$$my_var = 1;
//the upper line of code now has the same meaning like $mirza = 1; !!!

In words, with variable variables you can dynamicaly create variable names and give them values!!!

Now on to Actionscript...

With eval() you can achieve similar results in AS.

//my_var has a string value of “mirza”
my_var = “mirza”;
//allocate a variable variable of the variable my_var
mirza = 1;
//has a value of 1
trace(eval(my_var));

Well, I know that this looks very strange. But I use this method in loops to dynamically create variables like pic1, pic2, pic3.

for(i = 1; i<=5; i++){
//current variable
curr_var = eval(pic + '' + i);
//handle variable…pic1, pic1, etc
}

Hope you’ll find it usefull.

(Added: 11-04-2003, Hits: 0, Rating: 2.82, Votes: 22, Reviews: 4)

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	Reviews: (4)

Good Tutorial
(Added: 12-20-2005 User: Guest)

But it is very usefull if you want to insert arrays into flash with javascript which you can't do directly. But if you set each var like: array[1] => array1 then you can use this function to get your original array back.
(Added: 02-19-2005 User: Guest)

for(i = 1; i<=5; i++){
//current variable
curr_var = eval(pic + '' + i); _root.addProperty("pic" + i, get, set);
//handle variable…pic1, pic1, etc
setProperty("_root.pic" + i, value, "Value: " + i);
}

//===>

for (i = 1; i<= 5; i++) {
trace(eval("_roo.pic" + i));
}
(Added: 02-04-2005 User: Guest)

Much as this tutorial offers useful advice, it is very bad programming practise to do what is done above.

Use arrays instead. Eval was put in actionscript before arrays were put in. Between arrays and ["property"] eval is practially useless. It is only needed in advanced techniques.
(Added: 05-25-2004 User: Guest)

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